Review on Dorman 924 065 Radiator Support Mount by Kevin Vanlaere

My opinion in this review is for the entire set of Dorman body mounts for my 2008 F-250, not just the radiator mounts as I feel they need to be assessed in their entirety It would be difficult to do each one Rate pair without using the Dorman mounts in any position on the truck. First compare the material with standard bindings: It is real hard rubber. Not soft rubber that can be easily crushed, but not so hard that they lack cushioning. Ford bearing retainers are not rubber. I don't know what it is, but obviously not 100% rubber. Maybe some kind of synthetic mixture. They are softer than the dormans. They degrade over time and literally disintegrate. I can't imagine these Dormans doing that. There is another aftermarket competitor that sells the entire kit for significantly less than they and Ford. But these are polyurethane fasteners. So no rubber and no cushion at all. Now common sense tells me that a solid, uncompromising mount will make for a very stiff ride. That was probably the main reason I chose Dorman bindings. Aside from the fact that I need a little padding, anyone with a 6.4L powerstroke knows their huge radiator is prone to cracking side tanks (which happened on mine). After extensive research and discussions with many technicians, it is believed that the main cause of the radiator cracking is that the front end is very stiff and twisted a lot. Something has to give, and that's usually a tear on the side. This makes sense in my case as the bearing mounts were completely removed when the crack appeared. Of course I wanted a very high quality mount as I was replacing a radiator and it made sense for me to go with something that flexes a bit as the front of the truck flexes and twists as it moves. After inspecting the rest of the truck's brackets, I saw that they were all in terrible shape and I replaced them all. (Different model numbers are installed on the truck for other locations). Speaking of driving comfort. It's day and night. Now remember that most of my eight mounts (crew cab body style) were completely worn out. So basically I drove with the body of my truck mounted on a metal-on-metal frame. The ride was noticeably smoother after installing all 8 mounts. I can't be happier. Other Benefits: Hardware included. On a stock Ford, you'll have to buy separate ones or use old rusty ones. (You may have to destroy some of them to remove them). A set of eight Dorman bindings will set you back about $500 or less (keep an eye on Revain prices, they vary wildly). The Ford is $1000, comes with no bolts and is a low quality product in my opinion. Brackets from online competitors (polyurethane) are only $150 for the entire kit, but as mentioned above I don't think they're an acceptable product for an 8,000 lb truck. (Maybe they're great for the Corvette). Suggestions: Coat new screws with anti-seize paste to make them easier to remove later. Coat the surface of the rubber mounts with a good quality silicone paste to slow down rubber drying, wear, etc.